Definition
Variolites are a group of dark green basic igneous rocks which exhibit pale colored spots, or spherules, especially on weathered surfaces, that give them a pockmarked appearance
Marble is a non-foliated metamorphic rock which is composed of recrystallized carbonate which is formed when limestone is exposed to high temperatures and pressures over a long time
History
Origin
France
Egypt
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From Latin varius, speckled, variegated
From the Greek marmaros, shining stone and also from the English word marmoreal meaning marble-like
Class
Igneous Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Family
Group
Volcanic
-
Other Categories
Opaque Rock
Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular
Granular
Color
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey
Black, Blue, Brown, Grey, Pink, White
Maintenance
Less
More
Durability
Durable
Durable
Water Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Scratch Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Stain Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Wind Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Acid Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Appearance
Dull and Soft
Veined and Shiny
Architecture
Interior Uses
Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens
Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration, Kitchens, Stair Treads
Exterior Uses
Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
-
Industry
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone
As Dimension Stone
Medical Industry
-
-
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Other Uses
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Curling, Laboratory bench tops, Paper Industry, Tombstones, Used in aquariums, Whiting material in toothpaste, paint and paper
Types
Metamorphic rock
Breccia Marble, Carrara Marble, Calacatta marble, Cultured Marble, Polished Marble, Honed Marble, Sand Marble
Features
Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained rock
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Easily splits into thin plates, Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
-
-
Famous Monuments
-
Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, Buland Darwaza in Agra, India, Capitol Hill Building, Washington DC, Charminar in Hyderabad, India, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus in Maharashtra, India, Ephesus in Turkey, Faisal Mosque in Islamabad, Pakistan, Humayun's Tomb in Delhi, India, Jama Masjid in Delhi, India, Lotus Temple in New Delhi, India, Louvre in Paris, France, Mysore Palace in Karnataka, India, Neuschwanstein in Bavaria, Palace of Parliament in Bucharest, Romania, Parthenon in Greece, Potala Palace in Lahasa, Tibet, Prophet’s Mosque in Medina, Qutb Minar in India, Saint Basil's Cathedral in Moscow, Russia, St. Peter’s Cathedral in Vatican City, Taj Mahal in Agra, India, Tower of Pisa, Italy, Victoria Memorial in Kolkata, India, Washington Monument, US
Sculpture
-
-
Famous Sculptures
-
Ajanta Caves in Maharashtra, India, Bust of Artemis, Elephanta Caves in Maharashtra, India, Lincoln Memorial in America
Pictographs
-
-
Petroglyphs
-
-
Figurines
-
-
Fossils
Absent
Absent
Formation
Variolites are a group of dark green basic igneous rocks that exhibit pale colored spots on weathered surfaces that give them a pockmarked appearance.
Marble is a metamorphic rock produced from limestone in the earth crust. It is formed by the metamorphism of limestone.
Composition
Mineral Content
Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
Garnet, Graphite, Olivine, Pyrite, Quartz
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, MgO, Silicon Dioxide
Transformation
Metamorphism
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Impact Metamorphism
Weathering
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Erosion
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Erosion
-
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion
Physical Properties
Hardness
63-4
1
7
👆🏻
Grain Size
-
Medium Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
-
Streak
White to Grey
White
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
-
Dull to Pearly to Subvitreous
Compressive Strength
37.50 N/mm2115.00 N/mm2
0.15
450
👆🏻
Cleavage
-
Perfect
Toughness
2.3
-
Specific Gravity
2.8-32.86-2.87
0
8.4
👆🏻
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.9-3.1 g/cm32.4-2.7 g/cm3
0
1400
👆🏻
Thermal Properties
Specific Heat Capacity
0.84 kJ/Kg K0.88 kJ/Kg K
0.14
3.2
👆🏻
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
India, Russia
China, India
Africa
South Africa
Namibia
Europe
Iceland
Italy, Spain
Others
-
-
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
-
South America
Brazil
-
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
-
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria